Machine for constructing fences



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILSON D. SOHOOLEY, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR CONS TRUCTING FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,882, dated March30, 1886.

Application filed De cernber 31, 1885 T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, WILsON D. SoHooLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Machines forConstructing Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of my invention completeand in position for. operation. Fig. 2 is an end View of the uprightframe, with the exception of the support ing-braces of the frame, whichhave been removed,provided with the wire-twisting wheels and attachmentsfor operating the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section taken on line 0090of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a plan view of one of the wiretwisting wheels,showing the detachable diskseotion removed therefrom; Fig. 5, a detailview in perspective of the rope-clamping mechanism, showing one of theclamp-sections detached therefrom,- Fig. 6, a detail view of one of theclamping devices for holding the wire in position while being twisted;Fig. 7, a detail view in perspective of one of the hangers which supportthe bar and operating-levers; Fig. 8, a vertical section of one of thetwisting-wheels, taken on line y y of Fig. 4, with the removabledisksection in position.

The present invention has relation to machines for constructing andbuilding picket and wire fences; and it consists in the details ofconstruction substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the wooden pickets, and a bthe wires between which the pickets areheld. To properly twist the wiresbetween each picket, I provide an upright frame, B, of any preferredconstruc tion, having suitable brackets, 0, formed with circularbearings b, to. receive the hubs c of wire-twisting wheels D, saidbrackets being in pairs to embrace each side or end of the hub, therebyholding the wheels perfectly true while they revolve. The wheels D areeach cast with a notched disk-section, (I, having a sock- Serial No.187,220. (No model.)

et, 6, to receivealug, f, on the disk-section g, which is also notchedto correspond with the notches in the section d. The disk-section g isremovable from the wheel D, and is of such size as to snugly fit withinthe hub c, or sufficiently tight to be held therein by frictionalcontact of the edge of the disk-section with the interior surface of thehub without additional means of holding it in position, except that thedisk-section is supported byalug, f, thereon, seated in a socket, 6,formed on the disksection d, and resting on or against the lugs h 1'.Any well-known means, however, may be employed for holding thedisk-sectiongin position on the wheel, and any number of thesewire-twisting wheels may be used,as found necessary, and any well-knownmechanism may be employed to impart to the wheels a rotary motion fortwisting the wires. I prefer, however, to employ a sprocket chain, E,fitting over sprocket teeth j on the wheels D, said chain passing aroundthe wheels, as shown, and over a small sprocketwheel, 7c, and a largesprocket-wheel, F. This last-mentioned wheel is the driving-wheel, andis provided with crank-handle G for turning it, which by means of theendless chain E drives thewiretwisting wheels D, the shaft of thedrlvlngwheel having itsbearings in a bracket, H.

The frame B is supported in an upright position by the truck-wheel I andbraces J, the latter at their upper end being swiveled to the frame. Thebraces in connection with the truck-wheel not only support the frame,but allow it to be moved the required distance for securing the nextpicket without removing them.

The wires a b, before passing through the wheels D, pass betweenserrated and pivoted jaws Zm of a clamp, K, one clamp connected to eachside of a bar, L, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, thereby holding the wireswhile being stretched,to prevent them from giving beyond the point ofattachmentfito the serrated clamping-jaws. The serrated jaws Zm areformed with heads m, through which the pivots Z pass, and the jaw I hasa notch, for the insertion of a suitable tool to operate the jaw inbringing it tightly down upon the wire or releasing it, as desired.

The bar L is provided with a ring, a, for

2 asaaaz attaching thereto a-hook, o, of the wire-tightening device,consisting of the pulleys p q, around which passes a rope, M. This ropeat one end is suitably connected to the block of the pulley q, and itsopposite end'is wound around a bar, 1', and thence passes betweenclamping-blocksN O, grooved as shown, to form a seat for the rope, theupper grooved block,N,being brought down on the rope with any degree ofpressure by the set-screw s. The lower grooved section or block, 0, isrigidly secured to a frame, P, as is also the bar mover which the rope Mis coiled, said frame having a clevis, Q, for looping over a stakedriven in the ground, as shown in Fig. 1. The grooves u in theclamping-blocks N O are preferably two in number, so that either can beused, as found desirable; but a single groove will answer the purpose,the object of which is to form a guide for the rope and prevent it frommoving laterally between the blocks or sidewise. This tightening deviceabove described perfectly'stretches and tightens the wires, and as thewires are being.

twisted the bar L will give as they are taken up by the twisting; thisbeing attained through the medium of the clamping-blocks, between whichone end of the rope is held, said rope slipping or giving off inproportion to the pressure with which it is held.

To the fence is detachably connected a longitudinal bar, R, by means ofhooked hangers S engaging with the upper pair of wires between thepickets, the construction of the hangers being shown in detail, Fig. 7.

Pivoted to the bar R are two hand-levers, T U, the lower ends of whichhave connected to them one end of rods V W, respectively, the oppositeends of the rods having hooks. The hooked end of the rod V engages orhooks over the edge of the picket last placed between the wires, and thehooked end of the rod W books into an eye or staple, t, on the uprightframe B.

By means of the leverT and hooked rod V the last picket is drawn closeup to the twist in the wires, and the leverU and hooked rod W bring theframe B, with its attachments, nearer to the picket, so that .the wirewill twist close, and afterward is forced back by said lever and rod,ready for another slat.

The bar R at one end has a short arm, to, which is located between thepickets, and acts as a fulcrum for the bar when the levers T U areoperated, the arm bearing against the edge of the picket.

This device can be removed when not required for use or when necessaryto change its position, the hangers S being first detached from thewires and the hooked ends of the rods released.

The braces J, which assist in supporting the frame B, allow the'frame tooscillate or sway back and forth, such movement. being facilitated bythe truck-wheel I and controlled by the lever U and rod W; Y

A great advantage is attained by forming the disk of the wheels D in twoindependent sections, 0 g, the latter removable, thus enwhat I claim asnew, and desire to secure by,

Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for constructing picket and wire fences, a suitableupright frame carrying rotary twisting-wheels for the wire, incombination with a truck-wheel and swivel-braces for supporting theframe and allowing it to be moved back and forth, substantiallyas andfor the purpose specified. I i

2. In a machine for constructing picket and wire fences, thecombination, with a suitable upright frame provided with wiretwistingwheels and means for rotating them, of a longitudinal bar provided withhangers for suspending it from the fence, two levers, and means forattaching one of said rods to the frame pivoted to the bar, and hookedrods connected to the levers, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a machine for constructing picket and wire fences, thecombination, with wheels for twisting the wire, of disks located in thehubs .of the-wheels, each consisting of one stationary and one removablesection, notched as shown, to receive the wire, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

4. A machine for constructing picket and wire fences, consisting of adevice for twisting the wires, provided with rotary twistingwheels,means for tightening the wires,.consisting of a grooved clamp, ropetackle and anchor, a bar provided with clamps for holding the wires andconnected to the wire-tightening device, and two pivoted hand-levers andhooked rods adapted to engage with the last one of the pickets and theframe ofthe wire-twisting device, respectively, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses. r

, WILSON D. SOHOOLEY.

Witnesses:

JOSIAH T. ELLIOTT, WILLIAM T. SoHooLEY.

